The practice of traditional bone setting has been of old and it is
found in almost all communities of the world. For instance, an approximate
10-40% of patients with fractures and dislocations globally are managed by
unorthodox practitioners. Also, there is evidence that bone setters were in
practice in England in the 16th and 17th centuries. Incidentally as it is stillobtainable in Africa today, the methods of that practice was handed over by
oral tradition from father to son and in most cases continued within the same
family. In-fact, one of the founding fathers of orthopaedics in the United Kingdom was the son of
a traditional bone setter.
Asexpected, the practice of traditional medicine has been in Africa long before
the introduction of orthodox medicine. Its vastness necessitated the emergence
of several specialized areas including traditional bone setting, traditional
birth attendant and herbal healing. In Nigeria, it has been ascertained that
traditional bone setters enjoy more trust and patronage than the other groups
of traditional care givers. The popularity of traditional bone setters in
Africa is enhanced by the claim by its practitioners that they have
supernatural influences. The result is that in Nigeria, majority of the people
rank the bone setters far ahead of orthopedic surgeons in the treatment of musculoskeletal
injuries. For example, in Eastern Nigeria, it was reported that 85% of patients
who presented with femoral fractures in an orthopaedic hospital visited the
traditional bone setters first before presenting at the hospital. Perhaps
spurred by this high level of societal recognition, the bone setters have
ventured into other areas like treatment of congenital anomalies and management
of patients with bone infections and tumors.
